BILL REQ. #: H-4279.1
State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2006 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/17/2006. Referred to Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Education.
AN ACT Relating to establishing the Washington teach math-science program to increase the number and enhance the preparation of secondary school mathematics and science teachers; amending RCW 28B.102.040, 28B.102.060, and 28A.660.050; reenacting and amending RCW 43.84.092; adding a new section to chapter 28B.76 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 28B RCW; making appropriations; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature finds that Washington
students are not adequately prepared in mathematics and science:
(a) Despite steady annual improvement, fewer than half of the
seventh and tenth grade students met the state standard in mathematics
on the Washington assessment of student learning in 2004;
(b) Early results from the eighth grade students taking the
Washington assessment of student learning in science show that under
forty percent met the standard;
(c) In 2003, nearly half of recent high school graduates attending
community and technical colleges enrolled in remedial mathematics
courses because they were not ready for college-level mathematics; and
(d) In 2003, fewer than seventeen percent of bachelor's degrees
awarded by public colleges and universities in Washington were in
science and engineering fields, a proportion that declined over the
previous ten years.
(2) The legislature further finds that knowledge and skills in
mathematics and science are critical for Washington's future economic
development and the state's overall well-being:
(a) Jobs at all levels of training and in multiple fields - from
manufacturing and construction, to accounting and finance, to computer
technical support and programming - increasingly require workers to
perform calculations and analysis at higher levels of complexity;
(b) Shortages in the state's health care work force are well
documented. Health care providers at all levels need strong
backgrounds in physical and life sciences;
(c) Growth in the state's technology, biotechnology, and
engineering industries is dependent on ready access to individuals with
advanced training and degrees in mathematics and science.
(3) Finally, the legislature finds that a critical bottleneck for
future improvement in students' mathematics and science capabilities is
the availability of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers,
particularly in secondary schools.
(4) Therefore, the legislature intends to take a comprehensive
approach to improving the quantity and quality of secondary school
mathematics and science teachers by creating the Washington teach math-science program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The Washington teach math-science program is
hereby created. The program consists of the following components:
(1) The teacher preparation programs developed under section 4 of
this act;
(2) The public-private advisory committee established under section
5 of this act;
(3) Targeted conditional scholarships and loan repayments for
future secondary mathematics and science teachers authorized under
section 6 of this act; and
(4) Targeted alternative routes conditional scholarships and loan
repayments for future mathematics and science teachers authorized under
section 8 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Residency certification" means the first-level teaching
certification established under RCW 28A.410.010.
(2) "Secondary mathematics or science" means academic courses and
majors that would qualify a teacher for an endorsement on his or her
teaching certificate in middle-level mathematics and science; secondary
mathematics; secondary science; or the secondary designated sciences of
biology, chemistry, earth science, or physics.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 (1) The higher education coordinating board
and the professional educator standards board shall jointly select two
institutions of higher education, as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, to
develop and implement a comprehensive program to prepare secondary
mathematics and science teachers. The programs shall be available for
students by the fall 2007 term and shall include the following
components:
(a) A streamlined curriculum collaboratively designed by the
college of education and the college of arts and sciences or their
equivalents that permits students to earn a bachelor's degree and
residency certification in secondary mathematics or science within four
academic years; and
(b) Recruitment and outreach to prospective high school and college
students who have expressed interest in mathematics and science,
informing them about the program and encouraging them to explore a
teaching career.
(2) Requests for proposals to participate under subsection (1) of
this section shall be developed and released by the higher education
coordinating board and the professional educator standards board by
June 15, 2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 28B.76 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The board and the professional educator standards board shall
convene an advisory committee consisting of business and community
leaders. The advisory committee shall:
(a) Solicit for and accept grants and donations from public and
private sources for authorized professional development opportunities
for students participating in a program established under section 4 of
this act and for practicing teachers who completed a program
established under section 4 of this act;
(b) Assist in the identification and development of authorized
professional development opportunities for students participating in a
program established under section 4 of this act and for practicing
teachers who completed a program established under section 4 of this
act, including:
(i) Internship experiences during students' first two years of
college that provide early exposure to secondary mathematics and
science classrooms, in addition to required student teaching
experiences;
(ii) Best practice seminars taught by exemplary secondary
mathematics and science teachers;
(iii) Mentors and other supports for teachers during the first five
years of their teaching careers; and
(iv) Summer work experiences for teachers in businesses and
industries related to mathematics and science; and
(c) Advise the board and the professional educator standards board
on development of rules regarding awards under this section.
(2) The Washington teach math-science professional development
account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts
from private moneys solicited from public and private sources for
authorized professional development opportunities under this section
must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may
be used only for professional development opportunities as provided
under this section. Only the director of the higher education
coordinating board or the director's designee may authorize
expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment
procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not
required for expenditures.
Sec. 6 RCW 28B.102.040 and 2005 c 518 s 918 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The board may select participants based on an application
process conducted by the board or the board may ((utilize)) use
selection processes for similar students in cooperation with the
professional educator standards board or the office of the
superintendent of public instruction.
(2) If the board selects participants for the program, it shall
establish a selection committee for screening and selecting recipients
of the conditional scholarships. The criteria shall emphasize factors
demonstrating excellence including but not limited to superior
scholastic achievement, leadership ability, community contributions,
bilingual ability, willingness to commit to providing teaching service
in shortage areas, and an ability to act as a role model for students.
Priority will be given to individuals seeking certification or an
additional endorsement in math, science, technology, or special
education.
(3) Beginning July 1, 2006, the board shall increase the number of
conditional scholarships awarded by seventy to eligible students who
intend to teach secondary mathematics or science over the number
awarded to prospective secondary mathematics or science teachers for
the 2005-06 academic year.
(4) For fiscal years 2006 and 2007, additional priority shall be
given to such individuals who are also bilingual. It is the intent of
the legislature to develop a pool of dual-language teachers in order to
meet the challenge of educating students who are dominant in languages
other than English.
Sec. 7 RCW 28B.102.060 and 2004 c 58 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Participants in the conditional scholarship program incur an
obligation to repay the conditional scholarship, with interest and an
equalization fee, unless they teach for two years in an approved
education program for each year of scholarship received, under rules
adopted by the board. Participants who teach in a designated teacher
shortage area or those receiving funds under RCW 28B.102.040(3) shall
have one year of loan canceled for each year they teach in the shortage
area.
(2) The interest rate shall be determined annually by the board.
Participants who fail to complete the teaching service shall incur an
equalization fee based on the remaining unforgiven balance of the loan.
The equalization fee shall be added to the remaining balance and repaid
by the participant.
(3) The minimum payment shall be set by the board. The maximum
period for repayment shall be ten years, with payments of principal and
interest accruing quarterly commencing six months from the date the
participant completes or discontinues the course of study. Provisions
for deferral of payment shall be determined by the board.
(4) The entire principal and interest of each payment shall be
forgiven for each payment period in which the participant teaches in an
approved education program until the entire repayment obligation is
satisfied. Should the participant cease to teach in an approved
education program in this state before the participant's repayment
obligation is completed, payments on the unsatisfied portion of the
principal and interest shall begin the next payment period and continue
until the remainder of the participant's repayment obligation is
satisfied.
(5) The board is responsible for collection of repayments made
under this section and shall exercise due diligence in such collection,
maintaining all necessary records to insure that maximum repayments are
made. Collection and servicing of repayments under this section shall
be pursued using the full extent of the law, including wage garnishment
if necessary. The board is responsible to forgive all or parts of such
repayments under the criteria established in this section and shall
maintain all necessary records of forgiven payments.
(6) Receipts from the payment of principal or interest or any other
subsidies to which the board as administrator is entitled, which are
paid by or on behalf of participants under this section, shall be
deposited in the future teachers conditional scholarship account and
shall be used to cover the costs of granting the conditional
scholarships, maintaining necessary records, and making collections
under subsection (5) of this section. The board shall maintain
accurate records of these costs, and all receipts beyond those
necessary to pay such costs shall be used to grant conditional
scholarships to eligible students.
(7) The board shall adopt rules to define the terms of repayment,
including applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments.
Sec. 8 RCW 28A.660.050 and 2004 c 23 s 5 are each amended to read
as follows:
The alternative route conditional scholarship program is created
under the following guidelines:
(1) The program shall be administered by the higher education
coordinating board. In administering the program, the higher education
coordinating board has the following powers and duties:
(a) To adopt necessary rules and develop guidelines to administer
the program;
(b) To collect and manage repayments from participants who do not
meet their service obligations; and
(c) To accept grants and donations from public and private sources
for the program.
(2) Participation in the alternative route conditional scholarship
program is limited to interns of the partnership grant programs under
RCW 28A.660.040. The Washington professional educator standards board
shall select interns to receive conditional scholarships.
(3) In order to receive conditional scholarship awards, recipients
shall be accepted and maintain enrollment in alternative certification
routes through the partnership grant program, as provided in RCW
28A.660.040. Recipients must continue to make satisfactory progress
towards completion of the alternative route certification program and
receipt of a residency teaching certificate.
(4) For the purpose of this chapter, a conditional scholarship is
a loan that is forgiven in whole or in part in exchange for service as
a certificated teacher employed in a Washington state K-12 public
school. The state shall forgive one year of loan obligation for every
two years a recipient teaches in a public school. Recipients that fail
to continue a course of study leading to residency teacher
certification or cease to teach in a public school in the state of
Washington in their endorsement area are required to repay the
remaining loan principal with interest.
(5) Recipients who fail to fulfill the required teaching obligation
are required to repay the remaining loan principal with interest and
any other applicable fees. The higher education coordinating board
shall adopt rules to define the terms for repayment, including
applicable interest rates, fees, and deferments.
(6) Beginning July 1, 2006, the board shall increase the number of
conditional scholarships awarded to eligible participants who intend to
teach secondary mathematics or science by thirty more than the number
awarded to prospective secondary mathematics or science teachers for
the 2005-06 academic year. Participants who teach mathematics or
science shall have one year of loan canceled for each year they teach
in a district with a documented shortage of mathematics or science
teachers.
(7) To the extent funds are appropriated for this specific purpose,
the annual amount of the scholarship is the annual cost of tuition;
fees; and educational expenses, including books, supplies, and
transportation for the alternative route certification program in which
the recipient is enrolled, not to exceed eight thousand dollars. The
board may adjust the annual award by the average rate of resident
undergraduate tuition and fee increases at the state universities as
defined in RCW 28B.10.016.
(((7))) (8) The higher education coordinating board may deposit all
appropriations, collections, and any other funds received for the
program in this chapter in the ((student loan)) account authorized in
RCW 28B.102.060.
Sec. 9 RCW 43.84.092 and 2005 c 514 s 1106, 2005 c 353 s 4, 2005
c 339 s 23, 2005 c 314 s 110, 2005 c 312 s 8, and 2005 c 94 s 2 are
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(1) All earnings of investments of surplus balances in the state
treasury shall be deposited to the treasury income account, which
account is hereby established in the state treasury.
(2) The treasury income account shall be utilized to pay or receive
funds associated with federal programs as required by the federal cash
management improvement act of 1990. The treasury income account is
subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is
required for refunds or allocations of interest earnings required by
the cash management improvement act. Refunds of interest to the
federal treasury required under the cash management improvement act
fall under RCW 43.88.180 and shall not require appropriation. The
office of financial management shall determine the amounts due to or
from the federal government pursuant to the cash management improvement
act. The office of financial management may direct transfers of funds
between accounts as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of the
cash management improvement act, and this subsection. Refunds or
allocations shall occur prior to the distributions of earnings set
forth in subsection (4) of this section.
(3) Except for the provisions of RCW 43.84.160, the treasury income
account may be utilized for the payment of purchased banking services
on behalf of treasury funds including, but not limited to, depository,
safekeeping, and disbursement functions for the state treasury and
affected state agencies. The treasury income account is subject in all
respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for
payments to financial institutions. Payments shall occur prior to
distribution of earnings set forth in subsection (4) of this section.
(4) Monthly, the state treasurer shall distribute the earnings
credited to the treasury income account. The state treasurer shall
credit the general fund with all the earnings credited to the treasury
income account except:
(a) The following accounts and funds shall receive their
proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's and fund's
average daily balance for the period: The capitol building
construction account, the Cedar River channel construction and
operation account, the Central Washington University capital projects
account, the charitable, educational, penal and reformatory
institutions account, the common school construction fund, the county
criminal justice assistance account, the county sales and use tax
equalization account, the data processing building construction
account, the deferred compensation administrative account, the deferred
compensation principal account, the department of retirement systems
expense account, the developmental disabilities community trust
account, the drinking water assistance account, the drinking water
assistance administrative account, the drinking water assistance
repayment account, the Eastern Washington University capital projects
account, the education construction fund, the education legacy trust
account, the election account, the emergency reserve fund, The
Evergreen State College capital projects account, the federal forest
revolving account, the freight mobility investment account, the health
services account, the public health services account, the health system
capacity account, the personal health services account, the state
higher education construction account, the higher education
construction account, the highway infrastructure account, the high-occupancy toll lanes operations account, the industrial insurance
premium refund account, the judges' retirement account, the judicial
retirement administrative account, the judicial retirement principal
account, the local leasehold excise tax account, the local real estate
excise tax account, the local sales and use tax account, the medical
aid account, the mobile home park relocation fund, the multimodal
transportation account, the municipal criminal justice assistance
account, the municipal sales and use tax equalization account, the
natural resources deposit account, the oyster reserve land account, the
perpetual surveillance and maintenance account, the public employees'
retirement system plan 1 account, the public employees' retirement
system combined plan 2 and plan 3 account, the public facilities
construction loan revolving account beginning July 1, 2004, the public
health supplemental account, the public works assistance account, the
Puyallup tribal settlement account, the real estate appraiser
commission account, the regional transportation investment district
account, the resource management cost account, the rural Washington
loan fund, the site closure account, the small city pavement and
sidewalk account, the special wildlife account, the state employees'
insurance account, the state employees' insurance reserve account, the
state investment board expense account, the state investment board
commingled trust fund accounts, the supplemental pension account, the
Tacoma Narrows toll bridge account, the teachers' retirement system
plan 1 account, the teachers' retirement system combined plan 2 and
plan 3 account, the tobacco prevention and control account, the tobacco
settlement account, the transportation infrastructure account, the
transportation partnership account, the tuition recovery trust fund,
the University of Washington bond retirement fund, the University of
Washington building account, the volunteer fire fighters' and reserve
officers' relief and pension principal fund, the volunteer fire
fighters' and reserve officers' administrative fund, the Washington
fruit express account, the Washington judicial retirement system
account, the Washington law enforcement officers' and fire fighters'
system plan 1 retirement account, the Washington law enforcement
officers' and fire fighters' system plan 2 retirement account, the
Washington public safety employees' plan 2 retirement account, the
Washington school employees' retirement system combined plan 2 and 3
account, the Washington state health insurance pool account, the
Washington state patrol retirement account, the Washington State
University building account, the Washington State University bond
retirement fund, the Washington teach math-science professional
development account, the water pollution control revolving fund, and
the Western Washington University capital projects account. Earnings
derived from investing balances of the agricultural permanent fund, the
normal school permanent fund, the permanent common school fund, the
scientific permanent fund, and the state university permanent fund
shall be allocated to their respective beneficiary accounts. All
earnings to be distributed under this subsection (4)(a) shall first be
reduced by the allocation to the state treasurer's service fund
pursuant to RCW 43.08.190.
(b) The following accounts and funds shall receive eighty percent
of their proportionate share of earnings based upon each account's or
fund's average daily balance for the period: The aeronautics account,
the aircraft search and rescue account, the county arterial
preservation account, the department of licensing services account, the
essential rail assistance account, the ferry bond retirement fund, the
grade crossing protective fund, the high capacity transportation
account, the highway bond retirement fund, the highway safety account,
the motor vehicle fund, the motorcycle safety education account, the
pilotage account, the public transportation systems account, the Puget
Sound capital construction account, the Puget Sound ferry operations
account, the recreational vehicle account, the rural arterial trust
account, the safety and education account, the special category C
account, the state patrol highway account, the transportation 2003
account (nickel account), the transportation equipment fund, the
transportation fund, the transportation improvement account, the
transportation improvement board bond retirement account, and the urban
arterial trust account.
(5) In conformance with Article II, section 37 of the state
Constitution, no treasury accounts or funds shall be allocated earnings
without the specific affirmative directive of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 Sections 1 through 4 of this act constitute
a new chapter in Title
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 Section 9 of this act takes effect July 1,
2006.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12 The sum of five hundred thousand dollars,
or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the higher
education coordinating board for the purposes of section 6(3) of this
act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13 The sum of two hundred fifty thousand
dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the
higher education coordinating board for the purposes of section 8(6) of
this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 14 The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or
as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the higher
education coordinating board to develop programs described in section
4(1) of this act.